Friday, January 8

I first noticed this awesome news tidbit at Zombie DON'T Run and it's being reported all over originally arriving via Dread Central (front/back/tape pics at the link). Dark Sky Films have sent out promo copies of The House of the Devil on VHS in a retro clamshell case! They even went as far as to emulate Gorgon Video's usual clamshell art design and release the film through Gorgon since MPI act as the owner and distributor of both studios. Can you say fucking awesome? EDIT:I see Amazon just threw up a picture of the bundle on their listing! The VHS is indeed from Gorgon Video/MPI!

Most articles don't mention that Amazon has a DVD/VHS "promo bundle" up for pre-order the same day the DVD and Blu-ray editions are sent to bow. Here's the non-affiliate Amazon link, buried in the e-tailer's VHS section. $33 plus shipping might seem high, but geez, just look at that damn thing! Hell, I'm contemplating pre-ordering two copies myself. I imagine the highish price is from the VHS production cost as most replicators have long since abandoned the dead format. Reminiscent of Cheap Trick's latest, "The Latest", being produced in a special 8-Track limited edition for $30 as only one place in the world was still able to produce that even deader format. Also as an aside notice how the back of the HotD VHSfeatures a UPC, it seems funny a true promotional item would feature a barcode. Perhaps this VHS edition will be a special Best Buy promo and/or sold at little independent music/movie shops as well...

Here's Gorgon/MPI's clamshell VHS cover of Mario Bava's Bay of Blood (Twitch of the Death Nerve). Notice the overall similar layout, the back cover's CAUTION blurb, and the "Color/R" and "Approx. runtime" placement. The HotD cassette's face label also has Gorgon's logo and a logo/title/Color/runtime/FBI warning placement that matches the old clamshell tapes. Awesome!

I was a huge Gorgon Video nut back in tha day(still am, actually - who can forget that Panic cover?), so don't think this isn't tempting me, but I'm strapped for cash due to the addictions and such. It's f'n tempting. But I don't think I'll go through with it. You can dedicate your extra copy to me though, if you wish, or unless that first sentence I wrote comes to be. Who knows. Still haven't seen the film, but want to.